Peppers named 54th best player in NFL

Bears defensive end Julius Peppers was voted the 54th best player in the NFL in a poll of league players conducted by NFL Network.

Bears defensive end Julius Peppers was voted the 54th best player in the NFL in a poll of league players conducted by NFL Network.

The eight-time Pro Bowler was featured on last Thursday night's episode of "The Top 100 Players of 2013," which unveiled players ranked Nos. 51-60.

Julius Peppers

"One of my favorite players to watch on film is Julius Peppers," Vikings defensive end Jared Allen says in the segment on Peppers. "The way he can move and do the things he does over his span of the years is still impressive."

Peppers has been voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons with the Bears. Last year he recorded 11.5 sacks, becoming the first Bears player with at least 10 sacks in back-to-back campaigns since Rosevelt Colvin in 2001-02.

Peppers, who had 11 sacks in 2011, also became the first Bears player with at least 11 sacks in consecutive seasons since Hall of Famer Richard Dent in 1986-87.

Since being selected by the Carolina Panthers with the second overall pick in the 2002 draft, Peppers has 111.5 sacks, second most in the league behind Allen (117). Peppers ranks 18th on the NFL's all-time list since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

Last season Peppers also tied for the NFL lead with a career-high four fumble recoveries.

Peppers is the third Bears player to be included on the NFL Network list of the top 100 players to this point, joining cornerback Tim Jennings (69th) and linebacker Lance Briggs (83rd).